Local News

New Mills ‘wall girl’ is national radio hit

The High Peak’s Nikki Ayrton is a celebrity in her own right after being seen by the likes of both real and music royalty, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Jay-Z and Justin Bieber.

Unbeknown to Nikki, a giant-sized poster of her face has graced the wall of the BBC Radio One studios in London for more than six years after being taken at a festival. Every presenter, staff member and celebrity guest has walked past the photo to get to the studios and offices.

The discovery was made as Radio One breakfast show host, Greg James, uploaded a video to his Instagram story exiting the lifts at the studio, and telling the poster version of Nikki on the wall to ‘shut up.’

This was spotted by Nikki’s sister, Katie, who promptly got in touch with the DJ, and Nikki was asked to speak to Greg live on the radio.

Following the telephone conversation, a BBC team decided to take down the festival wall scene, and replace it with a more current backdrop, meaning Nikki was being discarded.

However, the life-size poster did not go down without a fight, as Greg invited Nikki to the Radio One studio on Tuesday 30th October, to tear down the image for herself.

BBC newsreader, Simon McCoy provided the commentary and a choir serenaded listeners as Nikki – wearing the same clothes and sunglasses she was pictured in all those years ago – pulled the print from the wall.

27 year old Nikki, who has affectionately become known to radio listeners as ‘Wall Girl,’ said: “My sister first spotted the image on Greg James’ Instagram account and then so many friends got in touch to let me know I was there.

“I had absolutely no idea that I’d featured on the wall of Radio One for so long, and that the photo had even been taken at the Radio One Big Weekend in Hackney in 2012. This whole experience has been absolutely surreal and something I’ll never forget. I’d like to thank everyone involved for making it happen.”

BBC staff member, Marc Parish tweeted (sic): “For years now I’ve been greeted by this face every day when rocking up to work as it is plastered on a poster by our lifts and now we now who it is!”

Radio One presenter, Adele Roberts added: “I shall miss seeing Nikki every day. Met her today (in the toilets) panicked and didn’t ask her for a selfie.”

You can listen to the programme until 28th November via the BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0000x52